The milestone comes amidst a flurry of competition in world-class qualifying events, as Australian Team hopefuls strive to secure their opportunity to represent the country on the world's biggest sporting stage.
An expected Australian Team of around 50 athletes will face off with 2900 athletes from more than 90 nations from 6 – 22 February 2026, with the Games hosting 116 medal events across 16 sports.
From the Opening Ceremony in Milan’s famed San Siro stadium to alpine events in the Dolomite mountains and freestyle skiing and snowboarding in Livigno, athletes will compete across eight separate competition hubs in the most geographically spread Winter Games ever.
VIS scholarship athlete and Australian Olympic curler Dean Hewitt and his teammate Tahli Gill will attend a formal function in Milan today to accept the official invitation for Australia to compete at the 2026 Games.
Many of Australia's Olympic hopefuls are currently overseas and deep into their Olympic qualification phase.
Dual World Champion aerial skier and VIS athlete Laura Peel is landing some of the best jumps of her career this season, notching multiple World Cup victories and leading the world rankings.
“I can't believe we're only a year out from another Games, I'd absolutely love to pull on the green and gold one more time," she said.
“We're getting close to the halfway point this season, and overall, I've been really happy with my jumping. Coming into the season, my biggest goal was to build on my consistency, and that's still the number one goal. Seeing what I'm capable of, and how far I can go is what excites me about my sport – we’re really seeing both the men's and women's field lift, it's amazing to watch and even better to be a part of it."
Four-time Olympic snowboarder Scotty James, who won Olympic bronze in 2018 and silver in 2022 said his goal for 2026 was clear.
“One year to go until Milano Cortina and my hopes and dreams are pretty obvious,” he said.
“I would love to stand on top of the podium at an Olympics. I’ve got the silver, got the bronze, it’s one of the last milestones in my career I want to accomplish.”
Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission and VIS alumni Alisa Camplin-Warner AM said today’s milestone is a great motivator.
“For our winter athletes, the four years between each Games can feel like such a long wait – they're training, preparing, rehabbing and pushing their limits, mostly out of the limelight,” she said.
“When we arrive at a milestone like today, suddenly the Winter Olympics feel very, very close. It’s exciting and daunting, because the Games are coming, and each and every winter athlete’s Olympic moment is calling them."
Camplin-Warner is a past VIS athlete, being on scholarship in the lead up to her 2002 and 2006 Olympic campaigns. To now have her career in sport crossing and parelleling with her time as a VIS athlete is a 'full circle moment', she says.
“We have so many great Victorians who are going to be representing Australia and going on to do incredible things. That level of support within a home state makes all the difference for an athlete,"
"It’s a real privilege to be the Chef de Mission. We have the most amazing winter family of athletes who are all trying to qualify now with one year to go. My job is to help them qualify and keep them healthy, whilst also building the team behind the team so we are ready for any challenges we might face and opportunities that can give us an edge."
Credit: Australian Olympic Team
